


Under a Starlit Sky

by SirSigil



Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Age Difference, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-06
Updated: 2021-02-06
Packaged: 2021-03-18 19:00:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29248431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SirSigil/pseuds/SirSigil
Summary: Love is blind or so they say. It can find itself building in the hearts of unlikely participants, whether they expect it to happen or not. Adelaisa Vendicci has ventured far and wide and has seen enough of the world to not believe in any such nonsense. So why did it have to happen to her? (Male DB / Adelaisa Vendicci)
Relationships: Dovahkiin Dragonborn/Adelaisa Vendicci
Kudos: 2





	Under a Starlit Sky

**Under a Starlit Sky**

A chilled, lazy breeze of wind through the trees was the only sound to join the warm crackling of the campfire. The clearing in the forest’s canopy windowed a clear view of the night sky. Even from such a secluded place, the scene was breath taking. Stars, millions of them, littered the inky void above. Adelaisa wondered just how many of them hung there beyond the limits of the sky.

“Enjoying the view?”

The question drew the Imperial’s gaze away from the cosmos. The Nord Alarik approached from the forest and unceremoniously dumped a collection of logs and branches near their fire that crackled away quietly.

“It’s not often I get a chance to just … relax and watch the world go by like this.” Adelaisa murmured softly as she leaned against the tree at her back and returned to starwatching.

The Nord chuckled a little under his breath.

The Imperial soldier snapped her gaze right back to him. “Is something about that funny?” She asked with a pointed eyebrow above a glare.

“No, not at all.” Alarik smiled with raised hands as he sat down on a log near the fire. “It’s more cute than anything.”

“ _Cute?_ ” She drawled with a grimace.

“Cute.” The young Nord repeated, still smiling sweetly as he reached into his pack for a bottle of ale.

Adelaisa merely shook her head and ignored him. _Cute?_ What a fool her companion could be at times. He was normally quite level headed, for a Nord.

A shimmering spark drew her attentions again. A comet strayed into view from the edge of her window into the heavens. She was strangely entranced by it. As a disciplined soldier she was not normally one for taking an interest in the stars or other such frivolities, yet there was something innately enticing about the possibilities of what lay beyond, so many miles out of the reach of mortal men.

“See anything interesting?” Alarik idly called over.

The Imperial didn’t turn her gaze away this time. “Just the stars and the night sky, nothing that would likely interest you.” She murmured without heat.

“I’m sure I can surprise you.” Alarik’s voice became a little teasing.

“Taking down a pair of mountain trolls, and a bear, with nothing but a broken sword surprised me.” Adelaisa smiled idly at the memory. “Taking down the Blood Horker pirates pretty much singlehandedly? That surprised me. Unless you plan to grow wings and become a dragon, I doubt there’s much else you can do to surprise me anymore.”

Alarik chuckled in that breezy way of his. “I guess that’s true.”

Adelaisa heard the soft movement of fabric and dirt as Alarik got up from his seat by the fire and paced around towards her, pointedly leaning over into her field of view, obstructing some of the cosmos with a smirk.

“What about _three_ mountain trolls?”

In spite of herself, Adelaisa smirked a little. “Are you drunk already?” She eyed the bottle in his hand.

“No, I’m just … happy to be alive, I guess.” Alarik gave her a warm smile before strolling back around to his log.

Adelaisa quirked a silvery eyebrow at him again and followed him with her gaze.

“What do you mean? You’re not … ill or anything are you?” She asked quietly, unsure about his cheerful behaviour. Alarik wasn’t a particularly depressive man, far from it in fact, but he was never one for being so … serene.

“No, of course not. Well, not that I’m aware of anyway.” The Nord waved away her concern with an absent hand.

Adelaisa eyed him suspiciously for a moment. “Alright.” She acquiesced. A chilly wind chose that moment to run through her bones. She quickly opted to move away from the tree, seating herself closer to the fire, beside the Nord on the log.

“Wait.” Alarik spoke up again mouth twisting into a smirk once more. “You’re not _concerned_ for me are you?” He said it as if it were a preposterous notion.

“You’re my travelling companion, why wouldn’t I be concerned about your wellbeing?”

“Huh, in my experience, having a travelling companion usually just means you have someone to share the loot with at the end of the day. If you’re lucky they might save your life, if it doesn’t risk their own necks of course.”

Adelaisa momentarily forgot about the stars and turned a sceptical eye towards her companion. “Really? Is that what you think our partnership is?”

Adelaisa wasn’t entirely sure why she felt particularly stung by his words. It was purely a business relationship they shared if anything. They went out on adventures together and watched each other’s backs. It was little more than an average mercenary contract, surely?

“Well, no. I mean-” Alarik rubbed at the back of his neck, cheeks flushing a little. “That’s just my usual experience with people on the road, before I met you I mean. I bet most of them wouldn’t have gone out of their way to get me out of trouble if I hadn’t been paying them. And you’re a lot easier to get along with.” He offered with a little sheepish grin.

Adelaisa couldn’t stay mad at him now. “Good.” She smiled. “But I hope you do realise that we’re partners in this life. I’d risk my life to save yours, and I hope you’d do the same for me.” She already had, as had he, multiple times each in fact. Still, it didn’t hurt to stress the point every once in a while though.

“Of course. I know, I’m sorry.” Alarik offered impishly. “I hope you know that I would risk my life for you.”

Adelaisa rolled her eyes at him good naturedly. “I already know that, fool. You’ve done it more than a few times, remember?”

Alarik chuckled softly with as he rubbed at his forehead, not quite managing to hide a creeping blush. The Imperial decided to let the matter lay there and leaned back to gaze up at the stars once more. The comet had drifted out of view, but the rest of the show was still twinkling away. For a while they were both silent.

“I just don’t want to hear you talking like that. We’ve been through a lot together.” Adelaisa whispered softly, to the stars more than Alarik.

“So,” Alarik murmured after a moment of comfortable silence between them. “What precisely are we looking at right now?”

Adelaisa glanced his way a moment seeing the Nord looking skyward. “The stars.”

Alarik sighed but Adelaisa could detect a hint of humour. “I know that, but don’t they all have names and things?”

“They probably do, but I don’t think I could pick any of them out though.” Adelaisa frowned slightly as she tried to pick any sort of shape out amongst the cluster of shining dots. It was just a mass of sparkling dots to her.

“You’re just not trying hard enough.” Alarik teased with a poke to the Imperial’s side. He pointed upwards. “What about that cluster there, that kind of looks like a bear.”

Adelaisa scanned all around. “I … I don’t see it.”

“Look here.” Alarik shuffled slightly closer and leant his head in towards the soldier. “See that bright cluster there?” His finger circled in the air.

The Imperial frowned slightly for a moment before nodding numbly, still not seeing any animals. “Yes?”

“Well that’s the body, those dim ones could be the legs, and at the other end you have a sort of head there.”

“You mean … this one?” Adelaisa raised her own hand, pointing in the same general direction. She still didn’t see anything.

“No, no, no. I mean …” Alarik gently grabbed her hand and dragged her finger across the ink filled canvas over to the side. “This one, see it?”

Finally, Adelaisa saw it. “That does not look like a bear.” She shook her head with amusement.

“It looks more like a bear than anything else.” Alarik muttered defensively, circling their hands around the non-bear as if to prove his point.

“It doesn’t look much like anything. At most it’s a poor deformed beast.” Adelaisa snickered. “Maybe you should put it out of its misery.”

“Are you always this negative?” Alarik half chuckled.

“I prefer the term realist, if you don’t mind.”

Alarik sighed dramatically. “Please yourself.” He brought their arms down to their sides unceremoniously.

Adelaisa was very much aware that he hadn’t let go of her hand yet. In fact, he had started to idly draw soft circles on the back of her palm with his thumb. Her gaze slowly fell to the intertwined hands. Strangely, it wasn’t unpleasant, perhaps even stranger was how relaxed she felt. She noted the difference between those two hands, his young and strong, hers still strong, but weathered. Hers had seen her through so many more experiences than his could have possibly had chance to.

The Imperial swallowed a little thickly. She was nearly old enough to be Alarik’s mother. Well, maybe that was a bit of an exaggeration, but not by a huge amount. The silvery hair on her head was more a testament to a life of bitter effort and the stresses of a soldier’s life than it were a sign of old age, but it wouldn’t be too much longer before it would have turned naturally. And sure, she was still more than fit enough to be a warrior and lead an adventurer’s lifestyle, but her prime years were starting to dwindle away, whereas his were barely beginning. It was at once both somewhat depressing and sobering to think about. Most women her age were already seeing to raising their children. In fact, Adelaisa reckoned that few women leading a warrior’s lifestyle even got the chance to live as long as she had. It was something to be proud of at least, but she found herself wondering what she had missed while mastering the sword.

Alarik’s head turned softly from the lights above. Adelaisa’s gaze rose to match his automatically, almost reluctantly. His pale blue eyes were so young and full of life. How much would see with them, she wondered. What feats and adventures would those bright pools bear witness to?

The Imperial almost jumped when she realised that she’d been staring. She almost leapt out of her skin when she realised Alarik had been staring back. Their faces mere inches away from each other. Adelaisa was certain her cheeks were ablaze, she could feel their unwanted heat, but still she couldn’t tear her gaze away. Something tangible seemed to take hold of the air between them, something that transcended the need for words.

Alarik leaned in closer still, his gaze flickering between eyes and lips. Adelaisa found herself relishing every moment, and then at the last, she fully closed the distance between them. Then as simply as they came together, they parted. The Imperial searched the Nord’s eyes for a sign, anger maybe or disgust even.

Alarik’s lip curled a little in a smile. Then, slowly, he moved closer again. His eyes locked with hers tentatively, seemingly seeking permission. Adelaisa found herself nodding softly, a ghost of a chuckle escaping her, ore of a breath of relief. Alarik closed the short distance, delivering another soft kiss to Adelaisa’s lips. They parted just as softly once more.

The Nord bit his lip for a long moment. Then, turned to reach for something behind him, he pulled up another bottle of ale and offered it to the Imperial. Adelaisa took it numbly.

“What is this?” Adelaisa asked quietly, not trusting to take her eyes from the Nord.

“Err, an ale?” Alarik answered with a nervous smile.

“Al.” Adelaisa began, more harshly than she intended. She quickly reined it in before continuing in a softer voice. “You know exactly what I’m talking about.”

Alarik turned his gaze to the fire, cheeks similarly glowing. “I know. I … don’t know, I just … I admire you.”

Adelaisa found herself biting her lip in a vain attempt to hide her smile. She’d been complimented before, on occasion, but such an awkward admission coming from him? That was something else entirely.

She soon gave up trying to hide her smile altogether and chuckled. “You admire dragons as well. I don’t see you rushing to kiss them, though.”

The confused look in Alarik’s eyes when he whipped his head back round to her was delightful. It soon fell into a relieved laugh when he realised she was teasing him.

Adelaisa saw he still seemed nervous, his eyes didn’t seem to stay on hers for long.

“Al.” She started seriously, placing her hand on his. “I … I admire you too, truly.”

Alarik’s gaze slowly flitted up to meet hers. He seemed to understand that she was sincere.

“But … are you sure you want this?” Adelaisa whispered softly. “I’m not- not as young as I once was.”

“Nor am I.” The Nord chuckled playfully. “But I don’t care.”

“You say that now.” Adelaisa began, trying to bring realism into his hopeless heart. “But what do you think happens a few years down the line? My hair’s not getting any less grey, you know. I’ll soon be getting wrinkles forming. What if you want to settle down, have children? I’m not sure that’s possible for me anymore.” She warned, feeling more ‘matronly’ by the moment.

“Laisa.” Alarik began, adopting a pet name already, but Adelaisa couldn’t find the fight in her to resist. “I … want _you_. I don’t want some idyllic happy ending in a little cottage by the sea. I’m perfectly happy without kids. Sure, I don’t know what might happen in the future. Hell, we could even die tomorrow, get killed by bandits, be crushed by a landslide, or … Divines only know.” Alarik turned his smile back up to the stars as if searching for the right words or the strength to say them. He turned back to the Imperial, certainty in his gaze. “Why don’t we just enjoy this while we have it, whatever it is?”

Adelaisa couldn’t help but smile at that. “You Nords. Always so simple.” She looked down at her hand on his and entwined their fingers together. “Ok. I guess … we’ll see what comes.”

Alarik smiled bright and true. He leaned in for another kiss and this time Adelaisa met him halfway. She rested her forehead against his for a moment after, savouring the contact, savouring the sheer feeling of adoration and of being wanted.

The dance of the stars above them carried on as they gazed upwards in quiet awe. After a time they retired to their bed rolls and fell asleep together, curled close, each holding the other’s hand.


End file.
